Facet Block Injection Recovery: What To Expect

A facet joint injection can be an effective way to relieve pain in the neck and spine. You can undergo joint injection in Iowa through a qualified health clinic.

However, you may be wondering what kind of side effects to expect after the fact. So in this article, let’s talk about what to expect after facet joint injections.

What is a facet joint injection?

The facet joint injection procedure involves the use of a needle into the area where both of your vertebrae connect on the spine. It reduces inflammation, which is one of the largest sources of pain.

This helps you free up your mobility and can be helpful for relieving discomfort from arthritis or other degenerative conditions.

What to expect during facet joint injection

During the injection, you typically will not need to undergo sedation. If you do, the doctor may give you some medicine to help you relax. They will numb the area locally and then use x-ray guidance to guide the needle to the facet joint.

You will then inject the medication, which is usually a steroid that reduces inflammation. It should only take 15 minutes or so for the entire process.

What to expect after facet joint injection

After the injection, you’ll stay in the recovery area for about a half an hour. Then the medical team will monitor your movements and will observe if you’ve experienced any pain or relief.

Once you’ve recovered from the injection, you are free to leave. It may be possible to experience some short-term numbness in your back or neck after the injection. This is because of the lidocaine or other numbing agents that may have been used.

Therefore, you should not drive by yourself for several hours after the facet joint injection.

Neck and Back Joint Pain Relief

You may experience pain relief right away. For other people, it takes longer. If the joints were the source of the pain, then you should experience faster relief. You want to avoid other kinds of pain medications for several hours after the procedure.

The initial pain relief will be due to the anesthetics. On a more long-term basis, the steroid that was injected will be the source of pain relief and anti-inflammation. This may take up to seven days to begin having an effect.

After you undergo this therapy, you should be able to be relatively pain-free for several months after the fact. Of course, everyone reacts differently. After facet joint injections, speak with a qualified doctor.

Facet Injections Near You

Understand your options so you can determine if your pain can be relieved with a facet joint injection. The pain relief experts at Central States Pain Clinic can help you with this safe, non-invasive pain reduction remedy.